Cold-weather operations: What a 1693 raid teaches modern forces

Le 10 février 2026 - Nouvelles de la Défense

Canada's long experience operating in harsh winter environments offers valuable lessons for today's armed forces, especially as the Arctic grows in strategic importance under Our North, Strong and Free. One early example comes from a 1693 winter raid carried out during a tense period in New France, the French colony covering parts of present-dayQuebec and neighbouring regions.

In the late 1600s, New France faced sustained pressure from the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy. The colony's governor, Louis de Buade de Frontenac, a veteran military commander, was responsible for restoring security after the Lachine massacre of 1689, when a Haudenosaunee attack near Montréal shocked the population and exposed the colony's vulnerability.

This local conflict unfolded alongside King William's War (1688-1697),the North American extension of a broader struggle between France and England. English colonies, especially New York, supported the Haudenosaunee, adding to New France's difficulties. Seeking to regain the initiative, Frontenac ordered winter strikes. One of the most important began in January 1693, when French regulars, Canadian militia, and Indigenous allies set off toward Mohawk villages in what is now New York State.

Relying on snowshoes, toboggans, and winter routes known through Indigenous expertise, the force travelled hundreds of kilometres over frozen terrain. When they reached the villages, they achieved complete surprise: no sentinels had been posted. Three settlements were destroyed and many inhabitants captured. This rapid success highlighted the advantages that disciplined winter mobility can provide in demanding conditions.

The return journey, however, revealed the risks of winter warfare. A sudden thaw spoiled cached food, slowing the raiders and leaving them hungry and exhausted. Although they escaped an English force sent from Albany, the hardships were severe enough that New France abandoned major winter expeditions for the remainder of the war.

The 1693 raid demonstrates enduring challenges that remain relevant to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), especially as the Arctic is facing environmental changes and operations in the Arctic become more frequent and strategically significant.

1. Mobility in extreme environments

Snowshoes and frozen waterways enabled rapid movement. Today, CAF Arctic mobility similarly depends on specialized equipment, reliable route knowledge, and awareness of shifting ice conditions.

2. Weather-proof logistics

The thaw that ruined supplies shows how weather can overturn operational success. Modern forces require redundant caches, pre-positioned stocks, and plans that anticipate rapid environmental change.

3. Security and awareness

The Mohawk villages' lack of sentinels shows the importance of early warning. Current Arctic operations rely on surveillance systems, sensors, and local knowledge to maintain situational awareness.

4. Cold-weather survivability

Fatigue and exposure proved as dangerous as enemy action. Proper clothing, nutrition, medical support, and training remain essential.

Across centuries, the core lesson endures: in cold-weather operations, mobility, preparation, and resilience matter as much as combat power.